Chinese nationals, Zimbos in court for smuggling

TWO Chinese nationals and their two alleged Zimbabwean accomplices were last week arrested for smuggling goods worth thousands of dollars from Mozambique.
The quartet — Lin Ruming (23), Charles Bruce (43), Francis Taivavashe (24) and Ariston Chipenzi (38) — appeared before Mutare magistrate Tendai Mahwe, who remanded them out of custody to February 20 on $100 bail each.

BY KENNETH NYANGANI

It is the State’s case that on December 15, 2017, Bruce approached Shishwayi Mtetwa, owner of Tamiyara Logistics, to have his consignment cleared at Forbes border post.

The consignment belongs to ZimCN Investment and it was made up of helical-lobe compressors, brake motor, fibre cables, steel wire rope, jack hammers, channel steel, angle steel and pipes.

According to prosecutor Fletcher Karombe, on January 26, the consignment arrived at Forbes border post in Mutare on a haulage truck which was being driven by Taivavashe, who had loaded the goods onto a container.

On arrival at the border post, Chipenzi, who is employed by Tamiyana Logistics, handled the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority clearance and was given the release order.

The consignment was moved to Zimra GMS for final clearance on February 1, 2018.

The complainant, a police officer, received information that Taivanashe had smuggled some goods, hence physical examination was required.

Karombe told the court that physical examination was then conducted and it was then discovered that the accused persons had smuggled some items listed on the charge sheet.

Taivavashe then implicated Chipenzi, who then implicated Bruce whom he said was the owner of the consignment.

Bruce, in turn, implicated Ruming, whom he said was representing ZimCN and was the owner of the consignment.

The smuggled goods were then confiscated.

The accused were in contravention of section 182 of the Customs and Excise Act Chapter 23:02.